Simply exceptional sisters

Photo by Gary VenturaThe art of cooking: sisters Lisa Bleier and Michelle Cavalcanti in the kitchen at Julienne.

"Love is simple," says Garance in Marcel Carné's Les Enfants du Paradis. The film then
spends three-plus hours ruminating on the subject. Food, another favorite
French topic, could also be called simple. Chef Paul Bocuse, in a college
instructional video, prattles on about success being guaranteed when you start
with "les bonnes choses fraîches."
Indian friends have told me that Indian cooking is easy, just time-consuming.
Well, yes and no on all counts.

On many
levels, sisters Lisa Bleier and Michelle Cavalcanti have a simple operation
going at their new business, Julienne. It's all takeout and delivery, so
there's no need for a wait staff. The menu is short and manageable. And what
could be simpler than soups, salads, and sandwiches?

But
watch Bleier and Cavalcanti go about their work, and you see all the "simple"
things good cooks do that make so much difference. Is it simple to seed
tomatoes, meticulously dry lettuce, weep eggplant, roast red peppers, and
emulsify a vinaigrette? Yes, these are relatively easy things to do. But taken
as a whole, actions like these constitute the art of good cooking. And make no
mistake, what Bleier and Cavalcanti are doing is artful cooking.

$6.50
scores either an enormous wrap or enough salad for two good-sized meals. Asian
chicken salad with gingered slaw knocked my socks off with sweet gingered slaw,
the aromatic lift of toasted sesame seeds, and a fresh peanut sauce. Several of
the salads/wraps are based on grilled chicken, but almost all employ unique
marinades. The southwestern grilled beef or chicken, for example, is marinated
overnight in cilantro, lime juice, and secret spices.

Tunisian-style
tuna Niçoise salad comes by its name honestly: Michelle Cavalcanti lived in
Tunisia, among several other African countries. Highlights on this one include
dynamite seasoned potatoes and green beans, both cooked perfectly (potatoes not
overcooked, beans not undercooked); homemade olive relish with capers; and
balsamic vinaigrette.

In the
Cavalcanti family, all conversations revolve around food. Michelle and Lisa say
that when their dad calls and asks, "What are you doing?" the answer isn't
just, "cooking," but rather a full explanation of what and how. Their mother
also cooks, as does Lisa's husband --- Jeff Bleier is executive chef at the
Marriott --- and both grandmothers have recipes on the menu. Ursula Cavalcanti
is the source of Grama's fried eggplant with roasted red peppers and provolone.
Like all sandwiches ("Plain Janes"), it's $5.50, very large, and served on an
excellent Martusciello's roll. It's all that and a bag of chips, literally. Be
sure to ask for olive relish.

My wife
loved both of Julienne's standard soups ($3.25 for a big portion with a roll).
The chili has two kinds of beef, plenty of beans, medium spice, and cheese
cooked into it. The signature soup, though, is red lentil with spiced oil,
which will whisk you away to the Mediterranean. There is also a soup of the
day, perhaps Grama Lena's chicken soup with pastina, Italian wedding soup
(escarole and homemade meatballs), or various chowders in the winter.

The
menu is short, but expandable. Lisa and Michelle will make you almost anything
given a day or so of advance warning. Roasted turkey dinners are popular, and
the sisters make a slew of intriguing things, including Indonesian rice salad
with peanuts, raisins, and snow peas with orange, garlic, and soy flavor;
marinated artichokes with green beans and cheese; and eggplant parmesan
(blessèd are those who truly know how to handle the eggplant).

Vegetarians
can have any Julienne salads or wraps with tofu instead of meat, and again,
just about anything can be made to order. And Michelle isn't just paying lip
service to vegetarianism; she eats meat, but not often, and cooks vegetarian
for herself.

Complaints?
Gee, let me think... it might be nice if Julienne had a few more beverages, but
it's hard to quibble with the place. Price, convenience, and quality seldom
combine so well. Even the little things smack of taste and care: the bags are
strong with handles, the containers are sturdy and reusable, and the plastic
cutlery is of the best quality. My kids fought over the brownies, and the
cookies are great ($1.10).

I've
greatly mourned the demise of Grill 339, which served outstanding lunch fare
for people with a palate. Like that place, Julienne combines complementary
talents of two siblings. As a sit-down restaurant, Grill 339 had some problems,
though (mostly speed). With it's careful, narrow focus on takeout and delivery
(free within a 10-mile radius), Julienne should be able to survive until word
of mouth makes it a roaring success. We tried it, and we're hooked. You will be
too.

And yet another lunch option, also on South: Open Face
Sandwich Eatery recently opened at 651 South Avenue, across the street from
Rudy's Oven. It's open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 8
a.m. to 4 p.m., and until 6 p.m. daily for takeout only. Check out its
impressive assortment of teas and unusual sodas.

--- Michael Warren Thomas

Michael Warren Thomas can be heard on WYSL 1040 AM. Tune in
on Saturday mornings for gardening, restaurants, and travel, and Sunday
mornings for Toronto restaurants and wine. Listen live on the web at
www.SavorLife.com.